President Tony Woodcock Takes Office
NEC President Tony Woodcock
For Immediate Release:
June 4, 2007
Former head of the Minnesota Orchestra, Tony Woodcock officially takes office today as President of New England Conservatory. He succeeds President Emeritus Laurence Lesser who has served in an interim capacity since the death of President Daniel Steiner last summer. Woodcock, who has made a career as an orchestra administrator, is switching gears to enter the world of music education. Appointed in February, he has been observing the inner workings of the Conservatory and participating in events since April.
In his new position, the British-born Woodcock will be challenged to complete the Conservatory’s current $100 million capital campaign (now at $82 million with another year to go), forge a new long-range strategic plan, design and execute a major campus renovation, and raise the additional funds for that project. His mandate also includes the ongoing work of attracting the finest artist-teachers and students; expanding scholarship aid to students; building visibility for the Conservatory; and increasing audiences for its many concerts.
Trained as a violinist and known as an orchestra “doctor,” Woodcock has held posts both in the UK and America, serving as President of the Oregon Symphony before taking the top job in Minnesota in 2003. A savvy financial manager, skilled fundraiser and innovative marketer, he has successfully stanched orchestral red ink, created and implemented strategic plans, engaged corporate and private donors, and built audiences. While at Minnesota, he created a financial restructuring plan to reduce the $4.5 million deficit, succeeding in reducing debt by $1.1 million his first year. He also personally secured the lead gift in the current capital campaign. Working closely with Music Director Osmo Vanska and a new marketing team, he was successful in increasing concert attendance from 58% in 2002-03 to 72% in 2005-06. In one strategy aimed at boosting the orchestra’s visibility and accessibility, he wrapped the glass walls of Orchestra Hall with a larger-than-life photo montage of exuberant music director and players.
Woodcock is also known as an executive who can rally fractious and disparate troops, creating harmonious working relationships with all constituencies. At both the Oregon and Minnesota Orchestras, he united musicians behind the goal of institutional artistic and financial health, conducting remarkably peaceful contract negotiations in a win-win spirit. He also brought together a divided board at the former orchestra, guiding the group to embrace a change of artistic leadership.
Throughout his career, the new President has displayed a deep commitment to music education and during his tenure in Minnesota led the orchestra to win back-to-back ASCAP Leonard Bernstein Awards for Excellence in Educational Programming (2005 and 2006). Woodcock was also responsible for raising significant funds from a local corporation so the orchestra’s popular family series could become admission free. With the Oregon Symphony, he oversaw the creation of a new education department as part of the strategic plan as well as the promotion of many new educational programs and partnerships across the state.
Summarizing these personal qualities, NEC Chairman of the Board Jack Vernon said: “Tony operates from a deep love and understanding of music, a realistic grasp of financial exigencies, and highly developed people skills that include charm, wit, modesty, and openness to others’ideas.”
“Today is a very exciting one for me,” Woodcock said in an email to the Conservatory community. "I've lost the title ‘Designate’ and can now celebrate my new role here as President. I feel privileged to have been given this wonderful opportunity and look forward so much to working with you all.
"For the last eight weeks I have benefited from the wise counsel and enormous experience of Larry Lesser to whom I am deeply grateful. I have been his most needy student! This period could not have been better spent and my thanks to Jack Vernon and the Board for conceiving of this structured introduction to the work of the NEC.
"I have learnt a great deal during this period but my overwhelming perception of NEC is of a major institution with so much that is positive and well positioned for further developments. It is my intention to work as hard as possible to continue the outstanding tradition of this great school.”
Tony Woodcock Biography
Born in Cairo, Egypt where his father was stationed as a Major in the British Army, Woodcock spent part of his childhood in the Far East until his family moved to Cardiff, Wales when he was 11. Music was always an important part of his life and the family often listened to recordings from his father’s large collection. He learned to play the violin as a child and studied with Alfredo Wang at University College in Cardiff. He also studied acoustics, music history, analysis, composition, harmony and Italian, graduating in 1974 with honors.
After leaving the university, Woodcock took a job as music officer with the Welsh Arts Council, the major agency promoting the arts in Wales. Among his duties was planning and promoting orchestral tours in Wales by internationally renowned ensembles such as the Dresden Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra and London Symphony. In 1977, Woodcock took a more senior job with South East Arts (SEA), an agency of England’s national Arts Council that promotes the health and accessibility of the arts.
Woodcock’s first job as head of an orchestra association came in 1984 when he became Executive Director of the City of London Sinfonia/Richard Hickox Singers. From there, he became general manager of Cardiff’s St. David’s Hall, the national concert hall with a budget of $10 million, a staff of 200 and a season series of 640 events.
There followed a stint as executive director with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society during which he played a significant role in planning the 150th anniversary and commissioning Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio. Following that, Woodcock was recruited to head the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra as that orchestra celebrated its 100th anniversary.
In 1997, the Oregon Symphony approached him about taking over its troubled organization, which had suffered a disastrous musicians’ strike some years before. Woodcock reestablished harmonious relations between board and players, successfully introduced interest-based bargaining techniques to negotiate two new musicians’ contracts, developed a new five-year strategic plan, created and implemented the transition plan for the music director’s retirement, and concluded a new music director search.
Woodcock joined the Minnesota Orchestra in 2003 and brought his many managerial strengths to bear on that orchestra. He created a new three-year strategic plan, successfully completed contract negotiations with the orchestra by convincing the musicians to be part of the institution’s fiscal solution, and helped reunite a factionalized board.
Woodcock is married to soprano Virginia Harrison Woodcock. They have a son, Thomas, who is currently a student at the University of Montana, Missoula.
For further information, check the NEC Website
ABOUT NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY
Recognized nationally and internationally as a leader among music schools, New England Conservatory offers rigorous training in an intimate, nurturing community to 750 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral music students from around the world. Its faculty of 225 boasts internationally esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. Its alumni go on to fill orchestra chairs, concert hall stages, jazz clubs, recording studios, and arts management positions worldwide. Nearly half of the Boston Symphony Orchestra is composed of NEC trained musicians and faculty.
The oldest independent school of music in the United States, NEC was founded in 1867 by Eben Tourjee. Its curriculum is remarkable for its wide range of styles and traditions. On the college level, it features training in classical, jazz, Contemporary Improvisation, world and early music. Through its Preparatory School, School of Continuing Education, and Community Collaboration Programs, it provides training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students, adults, and seniors. Through its outreach projects, it allows young musicians to engage with non-traditional audiences in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes—thereby bringing pleasure to new listeners and enlarging the universe for classical music and jazz.
NEC presents more than 600 free concerts each year, many of them in Jordan Hall, its world- renowned, 100-year old, beautifully restored concert hall. These programs range from solo recitals to chamber music to orchestral programs to jazz and opera scenes. Every year, NEC’s opera studies department also presents two fully staged opera productions at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston.
NEC is co-founder and educational partner of From the Top, a weekly radio program that celebrates outstanding young classical musicians from the entire country. With its broadcast home in Jordan Hall, the show is now carried by National Public Radio and is heard on 250 stations throughout the United States.
Contact: Ellen Pfeifer
Public Relations Manager
New England Conservatory
617-585-1143
epfeifer@newenglandconservatory.edu